The present invention relates generally to new and novel improvements in a security system for printed transaction records. More particularly, the present invention relates to a fluorescent security system for printed transaction records including continuous or endless loop visible/security fluorescent printing ribbon cassettes capable of printing visible images and characters, as well as fluorescent security images and characters, on paper or other print receiving medium, such as transaction records.
Personal computers and color copiers in use today can reproduce and create duplicates of transaction records and other documents such that casual inspection cannot reveal which are legitimate original documents and which are reproductions or duplicates. Thus, retail stores and similar establishments are losing thousands, and perhaps millions, of dollars each year due to counterfeit sales receipts, transaction records and other similar documents.
An example of this is where an unscrupulous individual purchases an item at a retail store or similar establishment and obtains a legitimate sales receipt from the store. The legitimate sales receipt is then reproduced. The unscrupulous individual may then return not only the item purchased with the original legitimate sales receipt, but then at some later time can pull this same item from the shelf in the retail store or similar establishment and return it with a counterfeit reproduced sales receipt for an additional refund. Another example is where an unscrupulous individual purchases an item for sale at a sale price significantly lower than the normal retail price and later returns this item with a fraudulent sales receipt for a full price refund. Other examples can be envisioned which make it clear that there is a strong need for security features in sales receipts, transaction records and other similar documents.
Much effort has been made to develop a reliable, cost effective, means of precluding counterfeit sales receipts, transaction records and other similar documents. One method currently in use involves preprinting paper rolls with different colors, custom designs or patterns, or fluorescent inks making it more difficult to reproduce legitimate sales receipts, transaction records and other similar documents. However, it is still possible to acquire one of these papers rolls, either legitimately or illegitimately, from the retail store or similar establishment or from the paper roll manufacturer and then create fraudulent sales receipts, transaction records and other similar documents.
Another approach in use involves adding security features to ink ribbons used to print the sales receipts, transaction records and other similar documents. However, in general, security ink ribbons currently available are either too costly or lose their security features before the inked fabric reaches its visual end of life.
Fluorescent ink is commonly used in security ink ribbons. Fluorescent ink fluoresces under black light distinguishing itself from regular visible ink. However, the character life of a typical combination visible/fluorescent ink printing ribbon is significantly less than that of a regular visible ink ribbon. One reason for this is that the color dye or pigment used in regular visible ink has to be reduced significantly to incorporate a high ratio of fluorescent materials and at the same time obtain a workable level of ink viscosity.
One means of extending the service life of an inked printing ribbon is to incorporate a reinking device which replenishes ink as it is removed from the printing ribbon during use. One type of reinking device commonly in use is a single-roll foam reinker. However, such single-roll foam reinkers cannot significantly extend the character life of a combination visible/fluorescent ink ribbon because the reinker ink has to contain a high percentage of fluorescent materials and the reinker ink is depleted rather rapidly. Since pigments tend to retard capillary action, a reservoir-type reinking system is also not considered suitable for use with inks containing high levels of fluorescent pigments. The lower character life of such combination visible/fluorescent ink printing ribbons causes a significant increase in the cost per printed character.
Fluorescent pigments are becoming more popular over fluorescent dyes because of their excellent stability. However, even with a relatively high percentage of fluorescent pigments used in the ink, fluorescent materials generally still deplete before visible color dyes are depleted. This creates a problem for the user in determining when a combination visible/fluorescent ink printing ribbon should be removed from a printer. Furthermore, the readability of the fluorescent signal depends on the lighting conditions. Under bright light, the light from fluorescent materials is often difficult to see. In many cases, this causes the effective fluorescent life for characters and images printed using known combination visible/fluorescent ink printing ribbons to be shorter than the effective visible life for printed characters and images.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is the provision of a fluorescent security system for transaction records which provides security features for sales receipts, transaction records and other similar documents with enhanced service life.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a fluorescent security system for transaction records in which the service life of the fluorescent security features for printed characters and images outlasts the visible service life for printed characters and images.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a fluorescent security system for transaction records which provides an efficient, cost-effective means of printing fluorescent security features on sales receipts, transaction records and similar documents.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a fluorescent security system for transaction records which reduces the cost per character printed on sales receipts, transaction records and other similar documents.
These and other objects of the present invention are attained by the provision of a fluorescent security system for retail transactions which maximizes the printed character or image life of a combination visible/fluorescent inked printing ribbon while ensuring that the fluorescent security life of the combination visible/fluorescent inked printing ribbon will outlast the visible life for printed characters or images under normal lighting conditions. This fluorescent security system for transaction records consists of a fabric ribbon, a dual-roll foam reinker and an optical filter. The fabric ribbon is initially inked with fluorescent ink richer in visible color dye than a normal fluorescent ink to enhance the printed character or image life of the combination visible/fluorescent inked printing ribbon. A dual-roll foam reinker consisting of an inner roll and an outer roll positioned concentric to the inner roll is used to replenish ink depleted from the fabric ribbon during the printing process. The inner roll and the outer roll can have the same or different pore sizes. In one preferred embodiment of the present invention, the outer roll has a smaller pore size than the inner roll to reduce the ink transfer rate from the reinker to the fabric ribbon, thus prolonging the printed character or image life of the combination visible/fluorescent inked printing ribbon. Also, the inner roll and the outer roll can be inked with inks having the same or different viscosities. In one preferred embodiment of the present invention, the outer reinker roll is inked with a higher viscosity ink rich in visible color dye or pigment to extend the printed character or image life while the inner roll is saturated with a lower viscosity ink rich in fluorescent materials to ensure that the effective fluorescent life of characters or images printed using the combination visible/fluorescent inked printing ribbon will outlast the visible life of characters or images printed using the combination visible/fluorescent inked printing ribbon.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent in the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.